Generally, analog to digital converters are known which convert an analog input signal to a digital output signal. Known analog to digital converters can be built as flash converts which have an array of comparators which simultaneously compares the analog input signal against an array of thresholds and outputs a bit string. The bit string can be encoded into a “number” by an encoder circuit, thereby obtaining a digital output signal. The resolution, i.e. the bit depth, can be increased by increasing the number of comparators. The speed of this type of analog to digital converter basically depends on the speed of the comparators used.
For increasing the speed and resolution it is known to implement such analog to digital flash converters in parallel, to interleave the acquisition process and to use fast, analog sample-and-hold circuits in order to sample the analog input signal faster than it is the case for a single analog to digital converter. For such parallel analog to digital converter implementations performances of 12 bit at 2 Giga-samples per second are known.
Although there exist analog to digital converters, it is generally desirable to improve the conversion of analog signals to digital signals and respective analog to digital converters.